L2 speakers often encounter difficulties caused by a dual problem both with vocabulary and structure in delivering his or her intended message. This qualitative study reports on how the dual problem involving both lexical and syntactic problems can be managed by employing CSs. The participants were 12 Korean students studying in a university in the USA, whose language proficiency varied from limited to high advanced. For the data, the participants’ natural conversations in various settings were recorded and stimulated recalls were conducted on the recorded conversations. The study presents various CSs for managing dual lexical-syntactic problems (DL-SCSs) identified from an inductive analysis of the data. Based on a taxonomic analysis of the data, this study presents a taxonomy in which various DL-SCSs are organized in multiple levels. In this paper, examples illustrating how participants employed each DL-SCS are also provided. These examples show that L2 speakers employing appropriate DL-SCSs are likely to communicate their intended meaning despite massive dual problems. Based on the findings, this study suggests that L2 speakers should be encouraged to use DL-SCSs.

The current study proposes the directions of oral communication education for adult learners. It reports the preliminary results of a survey into the workplace oral communication uses of business employees. A questionnaire was developed and administered to 121 employees working at 6 different companies. The questionnaire was constructed based on the oral communication forms, adapted and modified from the oral communication forms categorized by Crosling & Ward (2002). The oral communication forms within the organization were categorized into communication (1) with similar status staff, (2) with supervisors, (3) with lesser status staff, (4) in team works, and (5) in meetings. The most frequently occurring form of oral communication at work was 'communicating for networking' for similar status staff; 'following instructions and responding orally' for supervisors; 'informal conversation' for lesser status staff; 'participating in discussions' for teamwork'; and 'communicating for networking' for meetings. On the other hand, the most difficult form of oral communication at work was 'persuading' for similar status staff, for supervisors, for lesser status staff, and for meetings; and 'chairing and leading discussions' for teamwork. Implications for oral communication education are discussed in light of these findings.

The purpose of this study is to investigate an effective way of using real-time computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools for the development of Korean EFL learners’ oral communicative competence. The subjects of the study are the 53 first-year female university students and they are randomly assigned into three groups: text-, voice-, and video-chatting groups. The major results of the study are as follows: first, all the three synchronous CMC tools are effective in improving the fluency and accuracy of speaking skills. Second, the voice-based CMC tools, not the text-based one, are effective in improving the learners’ interactive skills and active use of communicative strategies. Third, all the three synchronous CMC tools are effective in enhancing the learners’ confidence in their English speaking abilities and beliefs in the improvement of their oral communicative competence. Lastly, the learners’ responses to the use of the CMC tools in performing communicative tasks are very positive in all the three groups. Based on these results, some pedagogical suggestions are made on the effective use of the synchronous CMC tools in Korean English classroom settings.